Only a couple of months back, Bulgari released its Octo Finissimo Ultra, which set a new record for the world’s thinnest watch as it measured a mere 1.80mm. However, a new champion has emerged in the market now with the launch of Richard Mille’s RM UP-01 Ferrari—a timepiece that is 0.05mm thinner than the previous record holder.
Crafted in collaboration with the Italian luxury carmaker Ferrari and developed at the laboratory of Audemars Piguet Le Locle, the new watch is the result of more than 6,000 hours of research and development and 50 prototypes. The RM UP-01 Ferrari is presented in a somewhat circular rectangular case that features hours, minutes, seconds, and a function selector—it allows the wearer to select the winding (W) or hand-winding (H) function with a simple rotation of the crown—spread all across its nothing short of a fascinating design. The new Richard Mille watch is protected by a sapphire crystal whose thickness has been reduced to two-tenths of a millimetre.

What makes the RM UP-01 Ferrari different from Bulgari’s and Piaget’s thinnest offerings is that instead of using the case as a baseplate, Richard Mille has developed an ultra-flat movement that measures just 1.18mm in thickness. The Calibre RMUP-01 consists of a baseplate and bridges that have been made from grade 5 titanium and it offers a power reserve of 45 hours. Not only this, the movement can withstand shocks of 5,000g. Meanwhile, in the course of building the Calibre RMUP-01, the brand was able to receive two patents: an ultra-flat escapement with a variable-inertia balance and an extra flat barrel fitted with a super fine hairspring.
Limited to 150 pieces, the new Richard Mille watch is water-resistant up to 10m and is fashioned with an elegant black strap.